Northern Arizona Edges Titans On Late Goal

LOS ANGELES, CA -
Northern Arizona's Rebekah Schmidt netted her first goal of the season with just over five minutes remaining, snapping a 2-2 tie and lifting the Lumberjacks to a 3-2 victory over Cal State Fullerton in the first match of the 2010 Trojan Invitational hosted by USC on Friday afternoon at McAlister Field.

The loss dropped the Titans to 2-3 overall on the season despite Fullerton scoring multiple goals for the third time in five matches this season - matching its total from all of last year's 19-game slate. NAU earned its first win of the season and improved to 1-2-2 overall on the season.

Brenna Boies and Lauren Zallis earned assists on Schmidt's game-winner, which was knocked in past Titans' keeper Jordan-Michelle Santos from close range to snap the tie. Schmidt's goal came just five minutes after Fullerton had rallied to tie the match on freshman Nikki McCants' second goal of the year in the 80th minute as a corner by Caitlin Mellano was touched to the middle by Casey Volk and finished off by McCants.

Zallis got the Lumberjacks on the board in the 14th minute, sending home a shot to the left post from eight yards out off a pass from Boies for a 1-0 lead that stood up until halftime.

Fullerton senior Christina Murillo brought her side even to start the second half, netting her team-best third goal of the year in the 56th minute off a pass from sophomore Jennifer Smith to make it a 1-1 game. The score didn't remain that way for long as Kristi Andreassen regained the lead for NAU just two minutes later, scoring her third goal of the year on a header off a corner by Boies to put the Lumberjacks back up by a goal and set up the tying and winning goals in the final 10 minutes.

Northern Arizona outshot Cal State Fullerton, 12-8, including an 8-3 advantage in the opening period. Andreassen led the Lumberjacks with three shots on the day while Murillo paced the Titans with three shots of her own. Santos made five saves on the afternoon to keep her side in the match while Lauren Weaver made two saves between the pipes for NAU.

Fullerton will close out play in Los Angeles on Sunday morning (Sept. 12) at 11 a.m. as the Titans take on No. 25 Auburn at McAlister Field.